Kings Dominion’s 50th Anniversary Celebration

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horsesboy said:
Do to insurance and Philadelphia Toboggan's unwillingness to both certify them safe to operate in that configuration or service them if they were run that way. That makes fir a fairly compelling argument not to do it in my humble opinion.
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Disclaimer that I have no clue how coaster trains are built.

What if they disassembled the train from the deck up (so seats, front, backing, sides, restraints), and just reassembled that backwards. So the base part (wheels ext) were still operating “forwards” while the seats just are operating backwards.
 
warfelg said:
Disclaimer that I have no clue how coaster trains are built.

What if they disassembled the train from the deck up (so seats, front, backing, sides, restraints), and just reassembled that backwards. So the base part (wheels ext) were still operating “forwards” while the seats just are operating backwards.
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I believe that’s how it worked when backwards was a thing—just the seats themselves were facing backwards, and everything below your feet was normal. Also, I’d like to call out that 1st park VP-GM Dennis Speigel is a CRAZY MAN. In one of the interviews floating around YT, he mentions he used to like to ride Rebel Yell STANDING UP FACING BACKWARDS.
 
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warfelg said:
Disclaimer that I have no clue how coaster trains are built.

What if they disassembled the train from the deck up (so seats, front, backing, sides, restraints), and just reassembled that backwards. So the base part (wheels ext) were still operating “forwards” while the seats just are operating backwards.
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That is exactly how they did it.
 
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lyingtorobots said:
I believe that’s how it worked when backwards was a thing—just the seats themselves were facing backwards, and everything below your feet was normal. Also, I’d like to call out that 1st park VP-GM Dennis Speigel is a CRAZY MAN. In one of the interviews floating around YT, he mentions he used to like to ride Rebel Yell STANDING UP FACING BACKWARDS.
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Probably safer than riding forwards sitting down in 2008, the rise into the turnaround was so violent, since retracked -- twice. Before, anyone know?
 
warfelg said:
Disclaimer that I have no clue how coaster trains are built.

What if they disassembled the train from the deck up (so seats, front, backing, sides, restraints), and just reassembled that backwards. So the base part (wheels ext) were still operating “forwards” while the seats just are operating backwards.
Click to expand...
As everyone has said I think that's exactly what they did. I don't think there is anything inherently unsafe about reversing the structure of the train on top of the chassis. I have always felt like it was the forces that are put on a rider that create the issue. Seat cushions, restraints, bars were all designed to be safe for the forward-facing rider. The same forces applied on the body in a reversed direction were not accounted for in the train design, which is why I believe insurance companies (and the manufacturer) would not approve.

Think about wearing a seat belt incorrectly during a car crash, or facing the complete wrong direction entirely. In the event of immense force, your core is designed to stay stationary with your head having a little give. Facing in reverse, the same system designed to keep you safe could damage your spin/neck even more severely. Rollercoasters don't really have a likelihood of a full on collision (although collisions and e-stops are accounted for), but even outside of a full on sudden stop, the forces of the coaster would be applied to different parts of your body in reverse.

This is all not to say it's impossible, seeing as there are many coasters in the industry now that run forwards and backwards even in the same cycle! I do think the trains themselves would have to be completely rebuilt from scratch (not refurbished) in order to accommodate the restraint needs of a reverse direction (different restraint contours, applied pressures, more neck-height bracing). That's all assuming that the angles of the airtime hills wouldn't need to be modified to meet today's safety standards as well. Riding a coaster backwards has existed for a long time, but when you can't see what's coming your body can't brace itself in the same way as if you were facing forward.

Is it possible to have Racer 75 ride backwards, absolutely (with the right amount of a very large investment). Is is likely? I would say unfortunately not.
 
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bill s said:
Probably safer than riding forwards sitting down in 2008, the rise into the turnaround was so violent, since retracked -- twice. Before, anyone know?
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I know that between 1999 and 2002 (last seasons I had passes to KD prior to ‘24), it pulled HARD on the up-stops as it reached the start of the turnaround—always felt like we were about to be airborne!
 
The 50th store is now open. A few nice nods to the history with the sky ride cars used for displays and a old ranger rick/Jurassic park jeep on display. Like the new Pantherian merch but the 50th stuff looks a little disappointing to me.
 

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That sky ride car is sweet, I had no idea they still had that.

I thought I’d read Facebook posts that this was supposed to be like a mini park museum. Looks more like just a gift shop with a few park artifacts. Am I thinking of something else? Shop still looks 100 times better than the stupid Under Armour and southern charm store they used to have there.
 
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Fun and unique idea to put the silhouette of the park on the 50th anniversary hoodie pocket (far right side of the first picture). Absolutely love sky ride car display!
 
How is KD consistently so bad at merch?! I've never seen any anniversary collection for any park thing ever that didn't have something I was enthusiastic about. I literally haven't seen anything I'd even buy yet—let alone be excited about. Comparing it to the 40th merch selection, it's night and day. Hopefully better stuff is still coming...
 
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Mushroom said:
That sky ride car is sweet, I had no idea they still had that.

I thought I’d read Facebook posts that this was supposed to be like a mini park museum. Looks more like just a gift shop with a few park artifacts. Am I thinking of something else? Shop still looks 100 times better than the stupid Under Armour and southern charm store they used to have there.
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They have two sky ride cars there. I was also expecting more of a display of park history but the two cars and the jeep were all that I spotted. It's a huge improvement in my opinion but short of my expectation. The pizza parlor is not open today but looks done and ready to open. The area was to crowded when I came in to get shots through the windows but will try to get those before leaving.
 
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Mushroom said:
That sky ride car is sweet, I had no idea they still had that.

I thought I’d read Facebook posts that this was supposed to be like a mini park museum. Looks more like just a gift shop with a few park artifacts. Am I thinking of something else? Shop still looks 100 times better than the stupid Under Armour and southern charm store they used to have there.
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I don’t believe that’s actually one of their cars— they were a different style. That could be from Great Adventure or SFOG…

IMG_8533.jpeg

KD had an Intamin Skyride, not Von Roll
 
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GAcoaster said:
I don’t believe that’s actually one of their cars— they were a different style. That could be from Great Adventure or SFOG…

View attachment 37085

KD had an Intamin Skyride, not Von Roll
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Had wondered if that was the case but couldn't remember well enough one way or the other to know thanks for the info.
 
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